Case for a portable electronic device with a reversible retaining clip

ABSTRACT

A case includes a cover retaining clip that is reversible. A clip allows the front cover of the case to be retained in a closed position when access to the enclosed Personal Electronic Device (“PED”) is not required. Similarly, it allows the front cover to be retained, utilizing the same clip, in an open position when access to the front of the PED is required. 
     According to one embodiment including a folio type case, a clasp allows the front half of the folio case to be latched in a closed position. When the latch is open, the folio front cover is rotatable approximately 360 degrees, so that the front cover is adjacent to the back cover and folded under the device that is retained in the case. in this open position, the latch is reversibly operable to retain the front cover in an open position so that the cover remains adjacent to the back cover and out of the way during use of the device by the user.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/711,611, filed Oct. 9, 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to cases for enclosing a portable electronic device. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to such cases that include retaining clips, latches, or similar mechanisms for use on the cases.

SUMMARY

Cases used to enclose portable electronic devices may be constructed from one piece, or may comprise multiple pieces. Such cases may be made from a single material, or from multiple materials. According to embodiments, such cases may be, for example, a folio type case with a front and back cover.

Such cases may be used with tablet style devices, book readers, PDAs, or smart phones, and may be particularly suited for devices where the device controls and user access points are located on the front or sides of the device. Exemplary cases may include cases with multiple layers and separate hinges, cases made from a single sheet of material with an integrated hinge, or any combination thereof, whether of folio style or another configuration.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the case includes a novel cover retaining clip that is reversible. The clip allows the front cover of the case to be retained in a closed position when access to the enclosed Personal Electronic Device (“PED”) is not required. Similarly, it allows the front cover to be retained, utilizing the same clip, in an open position when access to the front of the PED is required.

According to one embodiment including a folio type case, a clasp allows the front half of the folio case to be latched in a closed position. When the latch is open, the folio front cover is rotatable approximately 360 degrees, so that the front cover is adjacent to the back cover and folded under the device that is retained in the case. to this open position, the latch is reversibly operable to retain the front cover in an open position so that the cover remains adjacent to the back cover and out of the way during use of the device by the user.

In an embodiment, a loop dip allows the front of the case to be latched in a first or second position. The first position may be, for example, a closed position wherein the front of the case is adjacent to the PED. The second position may be, for example, an open position wherein the front case cover is positioned adjacent to the rear case cover.

In embodiments, the case may act to protect an enclosed PED from damage due to, for example, exposure to dirt or contaminants, impact, transport, shock, or other environmental factors. In other embodiments, the case may allow for personalization of the user's device.

In an embodiment, the case is intended to remain attached to the user's device during operation and therefore, it is highly desirable to have a case where the user can place the cover in a open stowed position that does not interfere with the user or operation. This is especially true when using a PED such as a tablet computer or reader, where the user desires access to the front of the device for extended periods of time. These devices typically have large interactive displays, such as touch or capacitance type displays, and are often controlled by the user's finger. According to an embodiment, the cover of the case can be folded back onto the case itself and retained in that position by the reversible loop latch to accommodate such use.

In an embodiment, the case has a closure for a folio style case with a cover. The closure consists of an oblong shaped loop that snaps or slides over an oblong protrusion that is slightly larger than the opening of the loop. The loop is attached to an elastic strap that is attached to the cover. The loop clip snaps over the protrusion and securely keeps the cover closed. When the cover is open all the way to the back, the loop clip securely locks the cover in the open position utilizing the same protrusion.

According to one embodiment, the attachment of the loop clip to the cover is flexible such that it may attached on both sides allowing it to hold the cover securely in the closed position and in a fully open position. The loop and protrusion may be made from matching materials such as Polypropylene or may be made from different materials.

According to one embodiment, the loop is composed of a semi flexible and/or deformable material to allow it to fit over the protrusion and be retained in place using its elastic properties. The loop may also contain a center opening which is smaller than the protrusion. Depending on the deformability of the materials chosen for the loop, the opening may be slightly smaller or much smaller then the protrusion. If the loop material is very deformable, then the opening may be much smaller, as the material will allow for a much greater range of deformation. Alternatively, if the loop material is only slightly deformable, then the opening may correspondingly be only slightly larger than the protrusion.

In an alternative embodiment, depending on the deformability of the materials chosen for the loop, the opening may be the same size, or substantially the same size, as the protrusion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a folio type case 100 with front cover 110, latch loop 115, hinge 120, and protrusion 125 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 depicts case 100 in a closed position with latch loop 115, hinge 120, and protrusion 125 securing front 110 in place over a PED (not shown) according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 depicts case 100 with latch loop 115 removed or rotated away from protrusion 125, thereby allowing case 100 to be open and the user to gain access to an inserted PED according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 depicts case 100 in a fully opened, flattened position without a PED inserted, according to an embodiment.

FIGS. 5 and 6 depict case 100 in a fully open position, wherein cover 110 may move or rotate approximately 360 degrees from the closed position according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts a folio type case 100 with front cover 110, latch loop 115, hinge 120, and protrusion 125. Case 100 may be used for a tablet computer, but may also be used to encase a book reader, PDA, smart phone, or any other type of electronic device, in the same size and configuration, or other combinations of sizes and/or configurations. According to some embodiments, case 100 may also be a non-folio type case.

Latch loop 115, although depicted as oblong or oval, may be any shape that when reversed allows for latch loop 115 to fit over the protrusion 125. For example, latch loop 115 and corresponding protrusion 125 may be square, round, diamond, saw tooth, sinusoidal, or other shapes. Latch loop 115 may be constructed from any suitable material including, but not limited to, an overmolded material, a soft TPU material, or polycarbonate, etc.

Hinge 120, depicted as cloth in FIG. 1, may also be constructed from other flexible materials such as silicon, rubber, elastic or any other suitable material including, but not limited to, a plastic molded hinge, polypropelene, or TPU. In an embodiment, hinge 120 may be the same material as a cover or other part of a PED case, e.g., the same material as used on front cover 110.

In embodiments, latch loop 115 may be a soft material, while protrusion 125 may be a hard material. In other embodiments, a reverse configuration may be used, i.e., latch loop 115 may be a hard material, while protrusion 125 may be a soft material.

FIG. 2 shows a close up of case 100 in a closed position, with latch loop 115, hinge 120, and protrusion 125 securing front cover 110 in place over a PED (not shown). As seen in FIG. 1, case 100 has a back cover 130 that comprises integrated sides to retain an inserted PED. Back cover 130 may be composed of molded plastic or other similar materials, or may be a simple/traditional folio type back similar to front cover 100.

FIG. 3 depicts case 100 with latch loop 115 removed or rotated away from protrusion 125, thereby allowing case 100 to be open and the user to gain access to an inserted PED.

FIG. 4 depicts case 100 in a fully opened, flattened position without a PED inserted. Back cover 130, in this figure, is composed of two pieces, cover pieces 130 and 135. Cover 130 may be molded plastic, formed to retain a PED, and cover 135 may be an outer skin or retaining portion to join the back covers to front cover 110. As noted above, back cover 130 may be a single piece with or without a separate retaining case.

The PED may be retained within case 100 by any known means, including but not limited to, elastic straps, magnets, adhesive, hook and loop clips, or other retaining clips or designs, such as those depicted in FIG. 4.

According to an embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, loop latch 115 and hinge 120 may rest in a substantially flattened position, where front cover 110 has moved approximately 180 degrees from a closed position. Such a configuration might be used when a user is working on a desk or other work surface.

FIGS. 5 and 6 depict case 100 in a fully open position, wherein front cover 110 may move approximately 360 degrees from the closed position. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, back cover 130 and front cover 110 have come into contact with each other, or substantially into contact with each other. In such an embodiment, the contact or close contact of the outside of the front cover 110 and the outside of back cover 130 allow loop latch 115 to latch onto protrusion 125.

More specifically, as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, due to the flexible/reversible nature of hinge 120, loop latch 115 can be utilized in either direction, in the fully open position, loop latch 115 may slip over protrusion 125 from the opposite direction allowing front cover 110 and back cover 130 to be secured in either an open or closed position utilizing the same latching mechanisms, e.g., loop latch 115, hinge 120, and protrusion 125.

According to other embodiments, a reverse configuration may be employed. For example, loop latch 115 and/or hinge 120 may be attached to either front cover 110 or back cover 130.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in connection with embodiments, many variations and modifications as will be evident to those skilled in this art may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims, and the invention is thus not to be limited to the precise details of methodology or construction set forth above as such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. 

1. A case for enclosing a personal electronic device, comprising: a front with an inside surface, an outside surface, and an edge surface; a back with an inside surface to mount the personal electronic device, an outside surface, and an edge surface; and a latch to secure the front to the back, wherein the latch is comprised of a loop, a protrusion, and a reversible hinge.
 2. The case of claim 1 wherein the loop is coupled to the reversible hinge, the reversible hinge is coupled to the front edge surface, and the protrusion is coupled to the back edge surface.
 3. The case of claim 1 wherein the latch secures the front to the back in a first position and a second position.
 4. The case of claim 3 wherein, when in the first position, the front outer surface is adjacent to the back outer surface, and when in the second position, the front inside surface is adjacent to a front surface of the personal electronic device. 